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Goodness gracious, Ed Balls Of Fire!<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n These old pics and home videos of the pros and judges at Blackpool are cute, though. Well, until Ann Widdecombe comes along.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Blackpool gets the big build-up now with a VT. Drink again!<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Our Strictly stars\u2122<\/p>\n Our couples emerge on the sparkly staircase for welcome waves. George Clarke had the industry standard chest-out-for-rumba shirt. Nikita Kuzmin is topless in pleather dungarees. My eyes.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Judges are in the building<\/p>\n Enter the paddle-raising panel of Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke. Shirley\u2019s in a nice frock with flouncy statement sleeves.<\/p>\n They\u2019ve dished out 14 perfect 10s so far this series. Will there be more tonight or will they save them for Blackpool?<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Frockwatch<\/p>\n Here\u2019s our two-headed hostly hydra, so let\u2019s do our traditional couture clash. Tess Daly is in a mauve sparkly turtleneck. Claudia Winkleman is in a black, one-shouldered, drop-waisted frock with hair in a chic updo. Claud wins by a mile.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Cue clapalong titles<\/p>\n Which of these smiling pairs will be starved of fish and chips on Blackpool beach?<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Aaaaand we\u2019re off!<\/p>\n Roll ye olde scene-setting VT. Blackpool-themed, obv. Drink!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Gulp some ros\u00e9 to stop the nervous sweating. Listen out for a Celia Imrie parp. We\u2019re about to be go live to Elstree Studios\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Alan Carr\u2019s Picture Slam just wrapping up on BBC1 \u2013 a new series of the comedian and Celebrity Traitors winner\u2019s Numberwang-type quiz.<\/p>\n Well, I suppose it beats Amanda Holden\u2019s Inner Ring. Just five minutes to wait now\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a>On your dance cards tonight<\/p>\n Seven different dance styles on the menu tonight, with American smooths from both Balvinder Sopal and Karen Carney the only doubling-up. We\u2019ll also see a Couple\u2019s Choice number from La Voix and Alja\u017e \u0160korjanec.<\/p>\n It\u2019s 10 minutes until the glitterball starts spinning\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Eyes down for Strictly bingo<\/p>\n Cross them off as they happen! Take a drink for each! Veer so far off the rails that friends are officially worried! Here\u2019s your 10-point spotter\u2019s checklist for tonight:<\/p>\n Blackpool gets mentioned so much that you begin to hear imaginary seagulls<\/p>\n Couple\u2019s Choice routine gets wildly over-marked because nobody knows how to judge it<\/p>\n A cute cartoon Pudsey bear dances across the screen during a Children In Need plug<\/p>\n Anton says of an American smooth \u201cThat\u2019s the sort of number I\u2019d like to dance\u201d<\/p>\n Motsi and Shirley gang up on Craig when he criticises a hand placement or sticky-up finger<\/p>\n George Clarke\u2019s rumba has Tess Daly fanning herself with her cue cards<\/p>\n La Voix gives Craig some lip and his poker face dissolves into laughter<\/p>\n Claudia interrupts a rambling post-dance interview with \u201cGood luck, the scores are in\u201d<\/p>\n Shirley is harsher on Balvinder Sopal\u2019s footwork than she is on the male celebs<\/p>\n Craig wears a kiss-me-quick hat or knotted hankie on his head when the voting lines are opened<\/p>\n Share<\/a>A field in form<\/p>\n Half of our remaining eight contestants \u2013 namely Amber Davies, Balvinder Sopal, George Clarke and Vicky Pattison \u2013 secured their highest score of the series last Saturday.<\/p>\n Can they build on that momentum? Just 20 minutes until we find out\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Hoofing heroes to reprise their greatest hits<\/p>\n News this week four former finalists will return for a spectacular group dance in Blackpool. Ashley Roberts, Danny Mac, Jay McGuiness and Layton Williams will return to the ballroom for one night only, joining the pros for a dazzling routine that will see them each revisit one of their most famous Strictly moments.<\/p>\n The Blackpool specials will also feature performances from Lewis Capaldi and Steps. It all sounds like a fitting celebration to mark Tess and Claudia\u2019s farewell trip to the Tower Ballroom. It\u2019s 25 minutes until sparkly showtime\u2026.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Who might miss out on a seaside minibreak?<\/p>\n Should Albert Square hang out the \u201cwelcome home\u201d banner? Once again, EastEnders actor Balvinder Sopal is the bookies\u2019 odds-on tip for elimination this weekend \u2013 as she has been for about a month now \u2013 followed by her fellow dance-off survivor La Voix.<\/p>\n Can this resilient duo defy the odds again? Half an hour until we get our first choreographic clues\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a>The ballroom battle for Blackpool begins<\/p>\n The prestigious Tower Ballroom and the bright lights of the Pleasure Beach beckon – but somebody won\u2019t get a seat on the sparkly bus. Good evening and welcome to the eighth live weekend of Strictly Come Dancing 2025. I\u2019m Michael, your cyber-dance partner for tonight\u2019s live show. I\u2019d love you to watch along with me as our eight remaining pro-celebrity pairings bid to make it to next week\u2019s Blackpool spectacular<\/p>\n Last week, Vicky Pattison topped the leaderboard with a near-perfect 39 points, followed closely behind by Amber Davies with an impressive 38. After drag queen La Voix turned it on for the dance-off, Gladiators star Harry Aikines-Aryeetey was eliminated.<\/p>\n Our surviving duos have successfully passed the contest\u2019s midway mark and now take to the Elstree Studios dancefloor again, with the annual trip north to the fabled home of ballroom squarely in their sights. As always, tonight\u2019s scores will be combined with the public vote and the bottom two will dance for survival on Sunday night. Will we get a pre-seaside surprise?<\/p>\n It\u2019s showtime at 6.30pm on BBC<\/a> One. I\u2019ll be liveblogging from 6pm, providing build-up, rolling coverage, analysis, reaction and ballroom backchat. So start mentally packing your overnight bag with your most spangly disco garb and I\u2019ll see you on the sofa.<\/p>\n As usual, I\u2019d love to hear from you too. You can tweet me @michaelhogan, contact me on Bluesky or Threads @michaelhogan100, email me michael.hogan.freelance@guardian.co.uk<\/a> and the comments section below is open for hoofing hubbub. I\u2019ll knee-walk down there from time to time to see what you\u2019re all saying and report on your reactions.<\/p>\n It\u2019s week eight, so don\u2019t be late. Nearly time to staaaart seaside qualifying!<\/p>\n